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2018 Smithville, Mississippi Tornado
|type = EF3 tornado|image location = Maxresdefault-3.jpg|image caption = The Smithville, Mississippi EF3 near peak intensity.|date = May 21, 2018|times = 1217-1257|touchdown = 12:17 PM CDT|winds = >295 mph (474 km/h)|injuries = 198|fatalities = 34|damage = $35 million (2018 USD)|areas = Smithville, Mississippi|tornado season = Tornadoes of 2018 (Hitman) Tornado Outbreak sequence of May 21-26, 2018}}The ''2018 Smithville, Mississippi Tornado ''was a large, violent, and multi-vortex EF3-rated tornado hit Smithville, Mississippi and surrounding areas. This EF3 caused 34 fatalities, 198 injuries, and $35 million in damages. The EF3 occurred 7 years and 24 days after an EF5 hit Smithville, leaving 23 dead and 137 injuries from that event. The EF3 had a recorded record width of 2.8 miles. Even though the tornado had winds speeds at in excess of 295 mph, the NWS office in Jackson stated that even though the tornado had EF5 winds, the worst damage was consistent with high-end EF3 damage. The tornado was apart of an outbreak that caused over 40 other EF3+ tornadoes over a 5 day span. The tornado first touched down at 12:17 PM CDT 6 miles east of Troy. A house was minorly damaged at EF0 intensity. After traveling for about 30 miles in just 15 minutes, the now EF2 hit Amory, 9 miles southwest of Smithville. As the EF3 with at more than 295 mile winds in a couple sub-vortices neared Smithville, a couple of houses were hit, killing 29 while only causing severe damage. A mobile dopler radar recorded main vortice wind speeds between 150 and 165 mph, other non main vertices were recorded now over 200 mph, indicating not only mainly EF3 winds, other vortices had EF5 intensity, the tornado was quickly dying out. Another 5 were killed at EF2 intensity when their mobile was completely destroyed. At 12:51 with the record EF3 only 6 minutes before dissipation, the tornado started picking up cars, killing only 2 in the process. At 12:57 after being on the ground for only 40 minutes, the tornado dissipated 6.1 miles west of Splunge. In all, the EF3 caused 34 fatalities, 198 injuries, and $35 million in damages. The NWS confirmed that the path length was a record 2.8 mile wide tornado. At first, the tornado was given an EF5 rating based on wind speed. After no EF5 damage was found, the tornado was downgraded to an EF3 based on damage. This tornado has been compared to the 2013 El Reno, Oklahoma tornado since that tornado was a then-record 2.6 mile wide EF3 rated with >296 mph winds. Just like this twister, the El Reno tornado was originally given an EF5 before being downgraded to an EF3. The EF3 rating still stands today even though the rating is heavily disputed. After finding no evidence of EF5 damage due to winds excess of 290 mph, the NWS stated that due to the tornado staying over mostly rural farmland, the worst damage caused was rated high-end EF3. The path reached 18.67 miles and a record 2.8 miles wide. Gallery Wedge ef5.jpg|The Smithville, Mississippi high-end EF3 rated tornado. 220px-Tornado_damage_Gladstone,_MO.jpg|High-end EF3 damage near Smithville. May 21, 2018 Tornado Outbreak Outlook (Hitman).png|The tornado convective outlook for May 21. Category:Tornadoes of 2018 (Hitman) Category:Deadly Tornadoes Category:Costly Tornadoes Category:Tornadoes of 2018 Category:Tornadoes (Hitman)